BI Maintains Key Rate at 7,5 Percent

Jakarta, April 8 (Antara) - A meeting of the board of governors of Bank Indonesia (BI) on Tuesday decided to maintain its benchmark interest rate (BI rate) at 7.5 percent, the fifth in a row. The central bank leaders also decided to maintain the interest rate on Lending Facility and interest rate on Deposit Facility at 7.50 percent and 5.75 percent respectively. "The policy is consistent with efforts to direct inflation to the target of 4.5 percent plus minus one percent in 2014 and 4 percent in plus minus one percent in 2015, and to lower the current account deficit to a healthier level," Executive Director of the Communications Department of BI Tirta Segara said at a news conference here on Tuesday. Bank Indonesia said currently the Indonesian economy has grown as expected, marked with lower inflation and surplus in foreigtn trade, he said. "In the future, Bank Indonesia will continue to closely monitor various risks both externally and domestically and take precautionary steps to guarantee economic stability and improve the current account performance," he added. For that purpose, Bank Indonesia will continue to improve monetary policy and increase coordination with the government to keep inflation and current account deficit under control, he said. Bank Indonesia also will help in strengthening economic structure and improve foreign debt management especially private debts. (*)